I believe that simplicity helps you stay consistent. In this post I’ll go over the exact 7-day training template for my full hybrid fitness program. The entire focus of which is to help busy software engineers and parents maintain a fitness program that works for them.

What is a Microcycle?

Before we dive into the details, a microcycle is a short training block that typically lasts 5–14 days. It’s the foundation of a larger training plan. Think of it as a smallest repeatable template that you follow.

Baseline Loop (3-Day)

As I mentioned in the Upper-Lower Strength Plan, the baseline is a 3-day loop of:

  • Upper body strength
  • Lower body strength
  • Rest day

But that’s not exactly the full picture. In order to target all the muscles and joint or muscle imbalances, I add some variations to the upper body lifts, which is why I have two upper body days:

  • Upper (V): Vertical plane focus (e.g. incline press, lat pull-down)
  • Upper (H): Horizontal plane focus (e.g. chest press, mid-row)

One Week Snapshot

Note: The table below doesn’t mention to do baseline cardio — it assumes you’re already doing 8,000 steps per day. Start at 4,000 steps per day and work up to 8,000 and then maintain that. See the Cardio Layering post for how to ramp up to this.

Day Strength Cardio
Mon (Day 1) Upper (V): Incline press, lat pull-down -
Tue (Day 2) Lower: Angled leg press, prone leg curl Optional: Specialized cardio
Wed (Day 3) Rest -
Thu (Day 4) Upper (H): Chest press, mid-row -
Fri (Day 5) Lower: Angled leg press, prone leg curl Optional: Specialized cardio
Sat (Day 6) Rest (Optional) Extra steps
Sun (Day 7) Rest (Optional) Extra steps

Tips and Explanations

  • Try to walk extra steps on the weekends, especially on rest days happening on the weekend. If you go out and do stuff, this will naturally happen.
  • Specialized cardio happens on Lower days because most cardio uses the lower body, so this cardio helps circulate blood and help recovery.
  • Specialized cardio helps break the monotony of just walking but is completely optional. It’s only sprinkled in to avoid too much extra fatigue from the extra cardio.
  • If you want more strength training, see the asynchronous loop option in the Upper-Lower Strength Plan post.
  • Follow the recommended rest days to avoid getting hurt and having enough recovery. Your body grows muscle during rest, not during the workout.

Next Reads

This post is Part 4 of a five-part series that will finish as a single “living” guide to hybrid fitness. If you haven’t read the previous parts, start here: